Top 14 Travel Money Cards for Australians Going Overseas in 2022
Australians love to travel and a travel money card is a great tool to take on your international travel. It allows you to pay for things whilst travelling overseas, in convenient locations like shops, restaurants, hotels and ATM’s.
Travel money cards work in a similar way to Australian ATM cards, they use a pin when you purchase goods or services overseas.
In the guide we have compared lots of travel cards to give you the best travel money cards for Australians travelling overseas.
Our Top 5 Travel Money Cards:
- ING Everyday Orange Travel Card - Best for ATM withdrawals overseas
- HSBC Everyday Global Travel Card - Best Travel Card by Bank
- Bankwest Breeze Platinum - Best Credit Card
- Wise Travel Card - Best Exchange Rates
- Qantas Travel Money Card - Best Reward Benefits
ING Orange Everyday Travel Card - Best Card for ATM withdrawals worldwide
Best Features
- No ATM fees
- No international transaction fees
- No initial card fee
- No account keeping fees
- Can be used in Australia with no additional costs
- No fees for paying via bank transfer or Bpay
- Transfer limits can be set by user
ING Orange Everyday
- Simple and easy to work out costs for account
- As long as you you deposit at least $1000 and make at least 5 payments each month ING will waive international transaction fees and refund overseas ATM withdrawal fees
- Can be used in all countries
- Can be used in Australia to buy goods overseas and not pay international transaction fees
- Can be used wherever Visa is accepted
- Visa currency conversion rates apply, which are normally 4% above market
The ING Orange Everyday account is one of the best cards for most Australians travelling overseas for ATM access, with no fees. It also allows you to to buy goods online without an international transaction fee. Furthermore you can use it in Australia for free. Finally there are no fees to get your initial card, for account keeping or to top up your card.
HSBC Everyday Global Travel Card - Best Travel Card by Bank
Best Features
- No initial card or closure fees
- No monthly or account fees
- No international transaction fees
- No international ATM fees
- No cross currency conversion fees
- Lock in very competitive exchange rates before travel
- No maximum balance
- Earn 2% cashback
HSBC Everyday Global Travel Card
- 10 Currencies can be loaded are AUD, USD, GBP, EUR, HKD, CAD, JPY, NZD, SGD, CNY (currency restrictions apply to CNY)
- Very competitive exchange rates on all currencies when you have currencies already loaded on your card
- ATMs within Australia need to be HSBC and overseas they need to display a VISA or VISA Plus logo, not be be charged fees
- Earn 2% cashback when you tap and pay with payWave, Apple Pay or Google Pay for purchases under $100. With a maximum of $50 cashback per month. In addition you need to deposit $2,000 or more into your Everyday Global Account each calendar month.
- Daily maximum ATM withdrawal is $2,000
- Fraud protection covered by Visa Zero Liability
- Can be used wherever Visa is accepted
The HSBC Everyday Global Travel Card is a good option to take travelling and to spend money in Australia with no international transaction fees, international ATM fees and monthly fees. In addition there is no maximum balance on currencies held and a 2% cashback incentive when you tap and pay under $100. Finally it is one of the only travel cards that offers Chinese Yuan. To avoid ATM fees you need to find HSBC branches in Australia and only use ATMs overseas with a VISA or VISA Plus logo.
Bankwest Breeze Platinum - Best Credit Card
Best Features
- Lowest interest rate at 9.90%
- No international transaction fees on purchases
- Up to 55 days interest free on purchases
- Free annual fee first year, then $69 annual fee
- Complimentary international travel insurance
Bankwest Breeze Platinum
- Free international travel insurance that includes the basics but does not cover cancellation costs, pre existing conditions and travellers over 80
- $6,000 minimum credit card
- 0% p.a. on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, then reverts to 9.90%
- 21.99% interest rate on purchases and cash advances
- Cash advance fee of the higher of $4 or 2% of cash advance
- Can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted
The Bankwest Breeze Platinum credit card is great for those who make frequent overseas purchases and who want to travel to a wide range of destinations and the lowest interest rate on at 9.90% with no international transaction fees. This is a great travel card to have in your wallet if you end up in an unexpected country and need to pay for accommodation or food as you will not pay the extra fees. You will need to pay the card off in 55 days otherwise the interest kicks in and takes away your savings. It is not a great option to use at ATMs around the world and we recommend you use the the best travel debit cards instead.
Wise Travel Card - Best Exchange Rates
Best Features
- 40+ currencies available
- Best exchange rates globally
- One of the lowest conversion fee on the market
- No international transaction fees
- No annual or monthly fees
- No initial card fee
- Extremely low costs to send money overseas
Wise Travel Card
- Cross currency conversion fees are between 0.24–3.69%. AUD to USD, EUR or GBP was 0.42%, which is one of the lowest on the market
- Free cash withdrawals up to $350 every 30 days. However after that, Wise charge a fixed fee of $1.50 per transaction
- Daily ATM withdrawal is $2,700
- Issue up to 3 virtual cards for temporary usage
- It takes between 7 to 14 business days to receive your card
- Can be used wherever MasterCard is accepted
The Wise Travel Card is great for frequent travellers as it offers over 40 currencies at the intermarket exchange rate, which is the cheapest rate globally. In addition you can buy goods online from overseas with no transaction fee plus get the best exchange rate. However if you use ATMs frequently this is not the card to use due to the fees. Finally Wise Travel Card lets you transfer money to an overseas bank account with extremely low fees and the best exchange rate.
Qantas Travel Money Card - Best Rewards Card
Best Features
- No monthly fees, purchase fees and currency conversion fees
- No load fees if you pay by bank transfer or bpay
- Locked in exchange rates: 4%+ margin on exchange rates
- Rewards program: Earn 1.5 Qantas points for every AU$1 spent in foreign currency
Qantas Travel Money Card
- Can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted
- 10 currencies offered USD, GBP, EUR, THB, NZD, SGD, HKD, CAD, JPY, AED
- Free Australia ATM withdrawals
- 0.5% fee debit card reload fee
- ATM fees overseas (USD 1.95; GBP 1.25; EUR 1.50; THB 70; NZD 2.50; SGD 2.50; HKD 15.00; CAD 2.00; JPY 160; AED 6.50)
- Minload of $50 and max of $20,000
- Available to 16 year olds, has a lower age restriction than most credit cards (18 year olds)
Qantas Travel card is a great option to spend foreign currency overseas if you are already a loyal Qantas customer and use your frequent flyer points regularly on flights, accommodation or gifts. The fees are low, the exchange rate is average however the ATM fees are expensive and will easily add up.
More popular travel money cards
Aside of the Top 5 travel money cards, there are many more options to consider. These include well known brands such as the Commonwealth Bank and Travelex and less known services like Up Bank and Revolut.
Here is a rundown of their best features, fees and available currencies:
Best Features
- 13 currencies available, including Vietnamese Dong and Chinese Yuan
- No issue fee, load fees, closure and card replacement fees
- Additional card offered
- Locked in exchange rates: 4%+ margin on exchange rates
- Can be accessed through Commonwealth Bank app
Commonwealth Bank Travel Money Card
- Can be used wherever Visa is accepted
- $3.50 fee at ATMs overseas
- 13 currencies offered USD, GBP, EUR, THB, NZD, SGD, HKD, CAD, JPY, AED, AUD, VND & CNY
- Minload of $1 and max of $100,000
- Available to 14 year olds, has a lower age restriction than most credit cards (18 year olds)
- When you use your card for a purchase or withdrawal in a currency that is not loaded, or when they automatically transfer funds between the currencies on your card to enable the completion of the transaction at the Visa retail exchange rate plus 4%
- To transfer money between currencies or a transaction account, it will be at the bank rate which is normally 4% above the market value
The Commonwealth Bank travel money card is great if you are already a Commonwealth bank customer who banks online and knows exactly how much money in each country you want to spend. However if you need to transfer between currencies or make a purchase in a currency you don't have funds loaded, then you can get an additional expensive charge. Watch how many withdrawals at ATMs you make as well to keep the costs down.
Best Features
- Exchange rates most competitive for USD, GBP and THB
- No fee on initial card or load (not BPay)
- No fee on reloads via bank transfers
- No monthly or inactivity fees
- Card is valid for 5 years
Travel Money Oz Currency Pass
- 1.1% reloading fee via Travel Money Oz Login or with debit or credit card
- 1% reloading fee for BPay
- $10 closure fee and replacement card fee
- 2.95% on withdrawals from Australian ATMs is expensive
- Roughly $3.50 on withdrawals from overseas ATMs is expensive.
- $3.99 + 5.95% fee on cross currency transactions
- 10 Currencies can be loaded are USD, EUR, GBP, NZD, CAD, HKD, JPY, SGD, THB & AUD
- Can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted
- Exchange rates for SGD and CAD are the least competitive
- Minload of $20 and max of $10,000
- Only 1 card per account
- According to the website they won't take online orders if you are departing within 14 days as the card can take up to 2 weeks for delivery.
The Travel Money Oz travel money card seems to be an outdated version of the Travelex or Australia Post travel card as it does not offer Global Emergency Assistance or Boingo hotspots. However exchange rates and fees are similar to Travelex, so if you are travelling to the US, UK or Thailand, this is a great card to pay for accommodation and things in shops. We would avoid using it at any ATM, to save costs.
Best Features
- No ATM fees in Australia or internationally
- No international transaction fees
- No initial card fee
- No minimum monthly deposit
- No account keeping fees
- Can be used in Australia as an EFTPOS card
- Available to 14 year olds and older
Macquarie Travel Card
- $2,000 daily limit for ATM withdrawals
- Simple and easy to work out costs for account
- Exchange rates are MasterCard exchange rates, which are normally 4%+ market rate.
- 90-day theft and damage protection on eligible purchases and stolen wallet protection up to $500
- Can be used in Australia to buy goods overseas and not pay international transaction fees
- Get discounts of up to 10% on eGift cards to use at over 50 leading retailers
- Can be used wherever MasterCard is accepted
The Macquarie Travel Card is a very good option to take overseas for ATM withdrawals as they are all free. In addition in Australia you can buy goods online and not pay an international transaction fee. Furthermore you can use the card like a normal debit card in Australia with no hefty fees or monthly minimum deposits. However the exchange rate is the MasterCard rate which is normally 4%+ above the market rate. Finally we would recommend this card for cash withdrawals at ATMs internationally but not paying for accommodation due to the added margin on the MasterCard exchange rate.
Best Features
- No ATM fees in Australia or internationally
- No international transaction fees
- No initial card fee
- Cheapest way to send money overseas through a bank
- UI and UX better than traditional banks making it super easy to use
- Competitive savings interest rate
Up Bank Travel Card
- Backed by Bendigo Bank and Adelaide Bank and partnered with Wise so it has financial backing and access to the cheapest exchange rates to send money overseas
- Nifty online tools to help you track spending, budget and save. These include a detailed transaction history often including a company logo, when you paid down to the minute and the suburb where the transaction was made. In addition it has a ‘Regulars feature that detects regular billers and estimate of upcoming bills so you get a heads-up before they are due
- Exchange rates are MasterCard exchange rates, which are normally 4%+ market rate.
- Good savings account interest rates of 1.85% (0.10% base rate plus 1.75% bonus). Bonus interest is easily unlocked after making five successful card or digital wallet purchases each month
- Can be used wherever MasterCard is accepted
The Up Bank Travel Card is aimed at younger markets who are looking to save on bank costs and receive online tools to help them budget and save for their goals. It is also able to be used overseas at any ATM without fees, no international fees and is the cheapest way to send money overseas through a bank due to their partnership with Wise (the largest money transfer company in the world). In addition the exchange rates are Mastercard rates which are normally 4% above interest rates. Finally, while this card is very useful domestically and for ATMs overseas we would not recommend it for big ticket items overseas as it is an expensive card to use.
Best Features
- No foreign transaction fees
- No fee on initial card, load, unload or inactivity fees
- No cross currency transactions fees
- Lock in exchange rates before you leave
- Exchange rates most competitive for USD, GBP, EUR and CAD and JPY
- No ATM fee at 50,000 Global Alliance ATMs worldwide
- Free additional card
- Flight delay pass
Westpac Travel Money Card
- 11 Currencies can be loaded are USD, EUR, GBP, NZD, CAD, HKD, JPY, SGD, THB, AUD & ZAR
- $2,000 maximum limit on ATM withdrawals overseas within 24 hours
- $50,000 maximum limit on currencies loaded on to travel card
- $3 roughly for ATMs that are not within the Non Westpac Global Alliance
- If you run out of one currency on the card, you can pay with other currencies without the expensive cross currency transaction fee
- No foreign transaction fees, initial card, load, unload or inactivity fees
- Can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted
- According to the Westpac it can take upto 8 business days to receive the travel card
- Secure from fraudulent transactions with Mastercard Zero Liability protection
- 2 cards per account for free
The Westpac Travel Card is a no frills handy travel card with very low fees, no foreign transaction fees, access to some free ATMs worldwide and competitive exchange rates, especially on USD, EUR, GBP, CAD and JPY. In addition it has the South African Rand (ZAR) which is not common in prepaid travel cards. Finally it has access to a flight delay pass in case your flights are delayed and you need to access airport lounges.
Best Features
- No international transaction fees
- No initial card fee
- Linked to ANZ Rewards program
- 7 types of insurance for free
- 55 days interest free
- Good security on card purchases
ANZ Travel Adventure Card
- 20.24% interest on purchases and cash advances
- $120 annual fee
- No international transaction fees in person or online
- Offer 7 types of insurance for free
- ANZ Reward points can be used to buy gift cards, swap for Virgin or Singapore airline points or cash into your account.
- Earn 1.5 Reward points per $1 spent on eligible purchases up to $2,000 per statement period
- ATM fees at non ANZ ATMs
- Minimum credit of $6,000
If you utilize rewards points then the ANZ Travel Adventure Card might be suitable for you. Reward points can be used to buy a wide range of gift cards, swap for Virgin or Singapore airline points or cash into your account. In addition no international transaction fees are charged for purchases online or whilst you travel overseas. Finally this card is not recommended for cash withdrawals as the interest rate of 20.24% will eat up any savings.
Best Features
- 27+ currencies available
- One of the best exchange rates globally
- No international transaction fees
- No annual or monthly fees for standard membership
- No initial card fee
- Instant access to a range of cryptocurrencies
Revolut Travel Card
- No fee ATM withdrawals up to A$350 per rolling 30 day period and 2% of withdrawal amount after that
- Exchanging currency on the weekend can incur a two-percent mark-up fee
- Fees on international money transfers were introduced in April 2021 to a maximum of GBP5 per transaction.
- Can be used wherever MasterCard is accepted
The Revolut Travel Card is a decent option for those who travel a lot as it offers over 27 currencies at the intermarket exchange rate, which is the cheapest rate globally. However if you exchange currency on the weekend you can incur a two-percent mark-up fee. In addition they have introduced fees for international transfers that can be upto GBP5 per transfer. Finally if you use ATMs frequently this is not the card to use due to the fees.
Best Features
- Initial card and replacement card is free
- No fees at ATMs overseas
- Additional card offered for $5
- Exchange rates most competitive for USD, GBP and THB
- Access to cash from your account through the Global Emergency Assistance, if your card is lost or stolen
Travelex Travel Money Card
- Fee heavy - Min $15 initial load fee, $10 closure fee and $4 inactivity monthly fee
- 1% for BPay if it not directed through Travelex
- 2.95% on withdrawals from Australian ATMs is expensive
- $3.99 + 5.95% fee on cross currency transactions
- Currencies that can be loaded are AU$, US$, EU€, GB£, NZ$, TH฿, CA$, HK$, JP¥, SG$
- Exchange rates for CAD, HKD and NZD are the least competitive
- Can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted
- Minload of $100 and max of $100,000
- If your card is lost or stolen you can access cash that is in your account through Moneygram or Western Union agents, with no charge
- Boingo hotspots offer the free wifi and you can look at their number of free hotspots per country on this map
The Travelex travel money card is a good card to access funds via an ATM in the US, UK and Thailand as there are no ATM fees and the exchange rate is competitive. The Travelex travel money card is fee heavy and to keep additional fees down we recommend not making withdrawals at Australian ATMs or making cross currency transactions.
Best Features
- Initial card and replacement cards are free
- No fee on reloads via bank transfers
- No monthly or inactivity fees
- Increased protection with Mastercard Zero Liability
- Access to cash from your account through the Global Emergency Assistance, if your card is lost or stolen
Australia Post Travel Money Card - Platinum Mastercard
- 1.1% Admin fee for instore loads, including initial load
- $5 fee for reloads via debit bank card
- $10 closure fee
- 2.95% on withdrawals from Australian ATMs is expensive
- $3.50 on withdrawals from overseas ATM is expensive
- $3.99 + 5.95% fee on cross currency transactions
- Currencies that can be loaded are USD, EUR, GBP, NZD, THB, CAD, HKD, JPY, SGD, AED and AUD
- Can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted
- Minload of $100 and max of $100,000
- If your card is lost or stolen you can access cash that is in your account through Moneygram or Western Union agents, with no charge
- Boingo hotspots offer the free wifi and you can look at their number of free hotspots per country on this map
The Australia Post travel money card is a popular option for Australian travellers due to the convenience of stores. However we would recommend the Australia Post travel money card for paying in shops or accommodation as it is costly to withdraw cash from ATMS. As the Australia Post travel money card is fee heavy we recommend not making withdrawals at ATMs or making cross currency transactions to keep additional fees down.
FAQs
The best travel card in Australia depends on its use, for ATM withdrawals it is ING Orange, for best exchange rates it is Wise Travel Card, the best credit card is Bankwest Breeze Platinum, for overall best card by a bank its HSBC Global and the best rewards card is the Qantas Travel card .
A travel money card is safer than cash overseas and if you select a Wise travel card, it is the best exchange rate as well. Most places around the world accept MasterCard or Visa, so you should be able to pay for all your purchases by card.
Yes you can use all travel cards in Australia but you might choose not to due to the fees. ING, Macquarie, Up, Citibank are all good examples of travel money cards that do not charge for ATM withdrawals in Australia. However examples of travel money cards that charge $3.50 per Australian ATM withdrawal include Travelex, Australia Post and Travel Money Oz.
Both if you buy your cash from S Money and pay with a Wise card overseas, as they both use the exchange rate you see online and charge very low fees. However if you buy your foriegn currency at the airport, you are paying top prices so using a card is cheaper.
There are many travel money cards that no longer exist but appear in search engine page results. Travel money cards that no longer exist include 7-11 Just Go, NAB Travel Money Card, Travelex Cash Passport, Australia Post Cash Passport, ANZ Travel Card, Westpac Global Currency Card and the Virgin Velocity Global Wallet program.
